Goal post



J. LEFFT ET AL GOAL POST March 16, 1937.

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 2, 1936 m m n A m E m March 16, 1937.

J. LEFFT ET AL 2,074,125

GOAL POST I Filed April 2, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IIIIIIIIJ'I 'IIIIIIIIIIIII INVENTOR.

THEIR ATTORNEY.

Patented Mar. 16, 1937 w ns - GOAL POST .l osephLefft and Lester FiScheflBrooIrlyn,

' Application April 2, 1936, seriali'No. 72,260

'1 Claims. (01. 273-55) invention relates to improvements in goal postsfor'field games and relates more particularly to an improved 'demountable goal post structure for football andgames of similar chara m -r1 ii a Football goal postsnormally consist of a pair of spaced-'uprights and a horizontal crosspiece, theentirestruc'ture being made of wood. In recent years it has become an almost universal ipractice particularly in college games, for the supporters of the'winning team to tear down the goal post immediately'after the termination of the contest. Ifheir acts are more or less riotous in character and the'participants are frequently 15- injured. i

=It is-accordingly one of the objects of the present invention to provide a novel goal post which can bealmost instantly disassembled after the finish of the contest, the entire structure passing 0 into a contain'erwhich has been permanently set in the groundsubstantially flush with the playingsurface of the field, the container being provided -with' a suitable cover and locking means to prevent the'"unauthorized removal of the com- .25 ponent parts of the structure.

Another object ofthe invention is the provision of an "improved goal post structure for football 'and similar' field games which is far more durable-than the older type of wood structure 0 and which may be quickly installed and set up for use.;Yet another-"object of the invention is the provision ofa goal post possessing a far greater measure of rigidity than the conventional wooden structure.

5 In the drawings:

Fig.-.1 is aperspective view of the preferred embodiment of the invention, the various portions of;the device'bein'g shown inan elevated position; a f

40 -zFig; 2is a broken, longitudinal section taken onaline.2 -2.of -Fig.-1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section taken on line13'*3 of Fig. 1;.\ 1 I.

Fig. 41s 'a' broken top; plan view of the device,

45 oneof the coversgbeing shown in an opened position; s

'-Fig...5 isa .frontelevation partly in section showing oneof the'modified forms of the invention; 1

50 Fig. 6 is a broken vertical section of one of the 1 parts of the device;

. Fig. 7. is a :brokenvertical section taken on line fl l qfFig. 6,-and a i g. .8;:i s-a broken section showing the pivota 53 su porting element .forthe vertical members.

A perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in Fig. 1, the device including a pair of spaced apart vertical supports I0, a pair of extensible vertical members ll supported thereby and a horizontal cross 5 bar l2. These members are preferably constructed of iron pipe, the extensible members ll being of substantially half the diameter of the supports l0.

The casing or container is constructed desirl0 ably of concrete and for convenience is cast in the ground in an elongated excavation of suitable size. The casing includes end walls I3 and sidewalls l4, it being not essential that a lower wall be provided. The upper edges of the walls 15 are substantially flush with the surface of the ground.

Each vertical support I0 is mounted in a cylindrical member [5, provided with a longitudinal bore of such size as to closely fit the members I0. Each cylindrical member is of substantially the same length as the depth of the casing and is securely supported with its upper terminal somewhat below the upper end of the easing by means of a substantially square bracket, the vertical portions iii of which are preferably cast in the walls of the casing, although they may be secured thereto by means of bolts or otherwise. The lower horizontal portion ll extends transversely of the casing and acts as a bottom support for the cylindrical member. The upper horizontal portions H3- converge inwardly and are provided with arcuate terminals I8 'which engage the sides of the cylindrical member.

Another substantially U-shaped anglebracket 20 is supported in theend wall l3 of the casing,

the upper horizontal portion 2| engaging the cylindrical member at a point adjacent to the terminals l8 and the lower horizontal portion 40 22 also being inwardly turned to provide an additional base support. The meeting portions of the various members are desirably secured together by means of welding. The precise shape of the brackets may vary considerably without departing from the spirit of the present invention, the essential feature being that the cylindrical member Ill be provided with a rigid support at .all times.

The casing is further provided with a cover structure 23 having a curved cut-away portion 24 at eachend in order that the cover may be closed without interfering with the supporting member l5. This cover is suitably hinged to the casing at 25., The endportions of the casing are further provided with relatively short covers 26 and are hinged to the casing at 21. When the movable portions of the goal post are in their elevated position, these end covers are in a closed position, each cover being further provided with a hinged portion 28 which completes the closing of the casing. In order to avoid the possibility of injury to the players, the upper surface of the cover is further provided with a resilient member 29.

At each terminal of the horizontal bar l2, a sleeve 3| is suitably secured, the inner diameter of the sleeve being such as to relatively closely fit the external diameter of the vertical support Ill. Each extensible member II is provided with a collar 34 at its lower end, this collar relatively closely fitting the aperture in the vertical support Ill. The upper end of each vertical member is closed as indicated at 32 and is provided with an aperture 33 of substantially the same diameter as the extensible member H. The extensible member l I and the horizontal bar l2 are maintained in elevated position by means of a pin 31 which passes through aligned apertures 35 in the sleeve 3|, the upper end of the vertical support I0 and the lower end of the extensible member II. In the drawings, the aligned apertures 35 in the three members are shown as being substantially horizontal, although they may be diagonally inclined in order to facilitate the removal of the pin therefrom when it is desired to dismantle the device.

When the pins are withdrawn, the extensible members I I are caused to fall rather sharply and accordingly the upper end of each of these members is provided with a cap 38 supporting a resilient gasket in order to somewhat break the fall of these members.

When the goal post is not in use, the vertical supports I 0 and the extensible member ll contained therein, as well as the horizontal bar I2, are positioned within the casing and the cover structures maintained in a closed position by means of a suitable look (not shown). When, however, it is desired to assemble the device in operative position, the vertical supports ID are placed within the cylindrical members I5, and the extensible members I l and the horizontal bar l2 elevated to their proper position, after which the pins 31 are inserted in the aligned apertures 35. As soon as the contest is finished, the covers are opened and the pins withdrawn, thereby causing the extensible members I l and the horizontal bar l2 to drop. The vertical supports l0 are then immediately withdrawn from their sockets and the entire device enclosed within the casing.

In the Fig. 5, the modified structure includes the vertical supports 42, the extensible members 43 having caps 44 at the upperend, the horizontal bar 45 and the pins 46. The casing 48 is also provided with a cover structure 49 having a resilient upper covering 50. In this instance, the vertical supports 42, when in their operative position, are supported at the upper ends of a tubular casing 52 which is positioned in the ground below the casing 48. The vertical supports 42 are maintained in their elevated position by means of pins 53. Thus, when it is desired to dismount the device, the pins 53 are withdrawn and the vertical members pass into the tubular casings 52. The pins 46 are next withdrawn allowing the extensible members 43 to drop.

In Fig. 8 a rigid support 55 is provided for the vertical member 56 which is hinged thereto at 51.

This support 55 is suitably mounted on a bracket 58. When'it is desired to dismantle the device, horizontal bar 60 having the cylindrical sleeve BI is caused to move downwardly beyond the pivotal element 51 and the vertical member, then moved downwardly into the casing (not shown).

In the drawings we have illustrated the vertical members as well as the horizontal bar as being constructed from round pipe. It will be appreciated, however, that these members may be made from square material, or in any other suitable form.

What we claim is:

' 1. In a device of the class described, a pair of opposed, spaced apart extensible vertical members, an elongated casing, means disposed at opposite ends of the casing for supporting the vertical members, a horizontal cross bar extending between the vertical members, said cross bar being normally suspended substantially midway between the ends of the vertical members when the latter are in their extended position, and releasable means for maintaining the extensible portions of the vertical members and the cross bar in an elevated position, said means comprising a removable pin passing through the vertical members and the terminals of the cross bar.

2. In a device of the class described, apair of opposed, spaced apart extensible vertical members, an elongated casing provided with a cover structure, pivotal means disposed at opposite ends of the casing for supporting the vertical members, a horizontal cross bar extending between the vertical members and releasable means for maintaining the extensible portions of the vertical members and the cross bar in an elevated position, the casing being of such size as to receive the vertical membersv when the structure is not in use.

3. In a demountable goal post structure, the combination of a casing positioned in and substantially flush with the ground, supporting elements positioned at opposite ends of the casing, extensible telescopic vertical members removably positioned in each of the supporting. elements and a cross bar supported between the vertical member substantially midway betwen the ends thereof, said supporting elements comprising vertical tubular members of substantially the same length as the vertical members when in telescoped condition, the tubular members being. adapted to receive the vertical members when the structure is demounted.

4. In a goal post structure, the combination oi a casing positioned in and substantially flush with the ground, supporting elements positioned at opposite ends of the casing, extensible telescopically disposed vertical members removably positioned in each of the supporting elements and a cross bar supported between the vertical member substantially midway between the ends thereof.

5. In a goal post structure, the combination of a casing positioned in and substantially flush with the ground, supporting elements positioned at opposite ends of the casing, extensible telescopic vertical members pivotally secured to said supporting elements and a cross bar supported between the vertical member substantially midway between the ends thereof.

6. A demountable goal post structure comprising a pair of spaced vertical supports, an elongated casing, a pair of cylindrical sockets rigidly mounted within said casing at opposite ends thereof and adapted to maintain the supports in a vertical position, an elongated cross bar provided with sleeves at each end carried by said vertical supports and a pair of extensible vertical members telescopically carried within the vertical supports and means at the upper end of the latter for maintaining the extensible members and the cross bar in an elevated position.

7. In a goal post structure, the combination of an elongated casing adapted to be positioned in the ground and substantially flush with the surface thereof, a female supporting element rigidly mounted at each end of the casing, a vertical member removably positioned within each of said supporting elements, a horizontal bar extending between vertical members, cylindrical sleeves carried at the terminals of the bar, the sleeves surrounding the vertical members and being supported thereby, vertical extensible members telescopically carried within said vertical members and means for maintaining the horizontal bar and the extensible members in an elevated position. JOSEPH LEFF'I.

LESTER FISCHER. 

